Moving files or text on the Mac is extremely easy; all you have to do is press the Command+C key and then paste using Command+V. In addition, if you own an iPhone or an iPad, you can move files between different devices, all thanks to the tight integration between Apple devices.
That said, what do you do when you try to move files, but rather than pasting items, your Mac throws the "Sorry, No Manipulations With Clipboard Allowed" error?
Well, keep reading because we will teach you how to fix it. But let's talk about this error first.
"Sorry No Manipulations With Clipboard Allowed" Error Explained
Whenever you copy something on your Mac, it gets stored temporarily in the clipboard. The same is responsible for storing data till the data is pasted by the user.
Therefore, if you read the error carefully, you will understand that something has gone wrong with the clipboard. It is this issue with the clipboard which is preventing you from pasting your data.
But why is your clipboard not allowing you to manipulate data? Well, there could be multiple reasons for the same, and before getting into the solution, you need to know exactly how the clipboard works to move data.
How Does the Clipboard on Your Mac Work?
Copying files is a mundane task. That said, your Mac runs several processes in the background to enable this trivial task.
Given below is a brief explanation of how data moves when you copy and paste something on your Mac:
- Process initialization: Clipboard relies on a background process called Pboard that keeps running on your Macook. It runs whenever your turn on your device, and for this reason, it is known as a daemon process. Once you copy something, Pboard is responsible for storing the data.
- Data conversion: The files you copy from a website or your notes can be of different formats. That said, the clipboard on your Mac can only store data in particular formats. Therefore, Pboard converts the data into a set of formats.
- Data transfer: Once the data is converted into the required format, Pboard transfers the data to the clipboard using the XMP protocol.
- Data storage: The data is stored in the clipboard until the user requests for it.
- Data transfer: Pboard sets up a communication channel between the app that requests the data and the clipboard using the XMP protocol.
- Data conversion: The receiving application converts the data into the desired format and displays it on the screen.
Now that we have a basic understanding of how the clipboard works, we can try troubleshooting the problem.
Looking at it now, it's safe to say that any problems with the Pboard process could cause the "Sorry, No Manipulations With Clipboard Allowed" error.
For instance, a third-party clipboard on your system could interfere with your system's processes causing it to malfunction. Also, if you see this error when running memory-intensive applications, you could be running into the issue due to memory management issues on your system.
7 Ways to Fix the "Sorry, No Manipulations With Clipboard Allowed" Error
Now that we know why we could be facing the error at hand, we can start looking for ways to solve the same.
1. Restart Your System
If you are a power user, it's safe to assume that you probably haven't restarted your system in years. Although the Mac can handle such use cases, restarting your device reinitializes the memory systems, I/O, and other systems.
This kills any issues generated in your system due to improper data management.
To restart your device, simply click on the Apple menu and choose Restart from the dropdown. Alternatively, you can press and hold the power button on your Mac.
2. Check for Software Updates
If macOS is not up-to-date, you could run into bugs and issues, including the "Sorry, No Manipulations With Clipboard Allowed" error. So, make sure you're running the latest version of macOS.
To check for any available updates, go to System Preferences > Software Update. If there's something new, click on Update Now.
3. Delete Third-Party Clipboard Managers
Several third-party applications on the App Store make the copy-pasting process more efficient for any power user. However, in some cases, these apps can interfere with the Pboard processes rendering it completely useless.
To solve this issue, you can delete any third-party clipboard managers on your Mac, and if it solves the issue, you can look for other apps which offer similar functionality. If you are looking for a new clipboard, you can read our article on clipboard managers and why you need one.
4. Restart the Pboard Process on Your Mac
The Pboard process is responsible for managing all the copy-pasting activities; if the daemon is not working as it is supposed to, the clipboard is bound to fail. Therefore, to fix problems with Pboard, you need to restart it.
So, follow the simple instructions below:
-
Open Spotlight on your device using the Command + Space bar shortcut and search for the Activity Monitor.
-
Search for Pboard and double-click on the same. Click on Quit > Force Quit.
Deleting processes from the Activity Monitor can seem scary, but deleting such processes only restarts them as the operating system restarts critical processes automatically.
Therefore, as soon as you kill the Pboard process, it restarts.
5. Run Maintenance Scripts on Your System
You can run your Mac for years without restarting it or shutting it down. This is made possible by maintenance scripts running in the background on a daily/weekly/monthly basis.
These scripts delete unwanted system logs from your system and keep it all greased up. That said, sometimes, these scripts don't run as per schedule, causing issues in your system.
You can manually run maintenance scripts on your Mac to solve this issue. To do the same, you can follow the steps given below:
-
Open Spotlight on your device using the Command + Space bar shortcut and search for Terminal.
-
Type in the command "sudo periodic daily weekly monthly" and enter your Mac's password when prompted.
6. Delete the Cache Files on Your System
Every app on your system generates temporary data for it to function correctly. These files are known as cache files, and although they make apps work, they can also cause your system to malfunction.
So, in our case, the "Sorry, No Manipulations With Clipboard Allowed" error could be due to an erroneous cache file.
To delete these files, open Finder, click on Go in the menu bar, hold down the Option key, and then click on Library in the dropdown menu. Then, open the Caches folder and delete all the files here.
7. Restart the WindowServer on Your MacBook
The WindowServer on your device is responsible for rendering the windows on your system. Although there seems to be no connection between the WindowServer and the clipboard processes, restarting the same has helped several people solve the "Sorry, No Manipulations With Clipboard Allowed" error on the Mac.
Therefore, you can restart this process on your system, which might solve your problems. To do this, open Spotlight on your Mac and search for Activity Monitor. Search for WindowServer and double-click on the same. Now, click on Quit > Force Quit.
No Luck? It's Time to Contact Apple Support
If the troubleshooting steps above did nothing to solve your issues, it's best to get in touch with Apple Support online. Apple's system diagnostics would likely help you solve the "Sorry, No Manipulations With Clipboard Allowed" error.
And if that doesn't help, you can always make an Apple Store appointment at a Genius Bar, and a certified expert will assist you in more ways than we could.